Sri Lanka Chess: Isuru Alahakoon, Sachini Ranasinghe win National Chess Titles

Chess Blog for Daily Chess News and Trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hello everyone,

Isuru Alahakoon of Sri Lanka Navy has won the country's national chess championship for the second consecutive year. Prasanna Kurukulasuriya led up to the penultimate round, but he lost to a weaker opponent. Isuru continued to play with confidence and won the title with 8.5 points over 13 rounds. He tied with Prasanna, but won on better tiebreak.

In the women's section WIM Sachini Ranasinghe won the title with 12 points over 13 rounds. She only lost to WIM Nelunika Methmani in the penultimate round, but picked up her third consecutive national title of her total four national title wins. Nelunika Methmani was second. Shelani De Silva was third.

The Sri Lanka National Chess Championships were held from September 27-October 7 at the National Institute of Sports Science, Colombo.

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Asian Zonal Chess 3.2: Ziaur Rahman, Liza Shamima Aktar of Bangladesh Winners in Men, Women's Sections

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi Everyone,

Winners Ziaur Rahman and Liza Shamim Aktar 

with guests at the Asian Zone 3.2 Chess event.

Here's the latest chess news update from the Asian Zonal chess scene. Ziaur Rahman and Liza Shamim Aktar - both of Bangladesh - have won the men's and women's sections at the Asian Zone 3.2 chess event, according to a Fide chess tournament news update. 

The Asian Zonal Chess Championships 2013 for Zone 3.2 was held in Sri Lanka. Rahman was the defending champion and had to work hard to earn 7 ½ points over nine rounds. He remained unbeaten and had only three draws against GMs Reefat Bin Sattar and Niaz Murshed and a local player Rajeendra Kalugampitiys. The victory over GC Anuruddha got Rahman the title and a place in the next World Cup of chess.

Meanwhile, WIM Liza Shamima Aktar, also of Bangladesh, had no opposition and scored a total of 8 ½ points out of possible 9. Her only draw came against Manisha Sachini Gunaratne of Sri Lanka. She qualifies for the next Women’s World Cup of Chess. Reigning Champion WIM Sachini Ranasinghe had a rough event where she had two defeats against Liza and Nelunika Methmani from Sri Lanka. But, she managed to get the silver medal in the event with 6 ½ points. Nelunika Methmani who is just 15 years old displayed excellent skill to win the bronze medal with the WIM title scoring 6 points out of 9 games just losing to the winner. Sharmin Shrin Sultana of Bangladesh and Manisha Suchini Gunaratne of Sri Lanka also scored 6 points and won the WFM title as per the FIDE regulations for the Zonals.

Romesh Weerawardena created history in Sri Lankan Chess by scoring 6 points out of 9 games (including a well-earned draw against GM Niaz Murshed) and thus becomes Sri Lanka's first International Master. Prasanna Kurukulasuriya and Sajith Pieris of Sri Lanka also scored 6 points each and earned FIDE Master titles.

The Asian Zonal Chess Championship 2013 was organised by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka from 2nd to 9th February 2013 at the MAS Fabric Park Institution and Hotel, Thulhiriya, Sri Lanka. Forty Six Players (34 men and 12 women) from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka participated in the event. You may get the tournament details from www.chess-results.com.

The awards ceremony was held under the patronage of Upali Gunasekara, the president of the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka, Miswa Deen, CEO, MAS Institution and Luxman Wijesuriya, the president, Zone 3.2 of President.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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Sri Lanka gets first WIM in chess!

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011

Hi everyone,

Sachini Ranasinghe of Sri Lanka has become Sri Lanka's first WIM. We had an earlier report from FIDE that she got the WIM title after 25 years of Rani Hamid though Hamid is Bangladesh's first first WIM.

Sachini Ranasinghe - Sri Lanka's second WIM after 25 years.

Sachini has earned the title by winning the Asian Zonal 3.2 Women's Chess Championship. Meanwhile, Bangladeshi Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman, who was the top seed, won the Asian Zonals, by notching up 7.5 points out of possible 9 games. Grandmaster, Niaz Murshed placed second and Abu Safin Shakil was tird. Shrestha Sujendra Prasad from Nepal earned his FM title while Shakil earned his IM title.

Sachini and Zia also get tickets to the respective World Cup of Chess. Aktar Lisa from Bangladesh also scored 7 points and tied with Sachini. But her loss in an early round to Sachini kept her back on tie-break. FM Supeshala Thilkawardena earned the third place.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com